Iquitos and Pacaya Samiria Amazon Reserve

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To write about everything will take too long,
so here are a few Headlines to wet your appetite:

20 Kilo Cocaine Drug Bust, Amazon River Boat Pirates, Bloody non-venomous Snake Bite, Camera Robbery and Knife Attack, Drinking old San Pedro Cactus and Throwing Up, Thousands of Mosquito Bites, Shipibo Girlfriend, Explosive Diarrhea, Wet Tent and Sleeping Bag, Broken Boat Motor, Inexperienced Jungle Guide, Sun Burn and Jungle Rot, Strange Giant Turtle and Frog, Amazon Creatures, Small Flesh Eating Piranha , Fishing at Night Using Spear and Flashlight, Looking For Crocodiles in Small Canoe

........The adventure has sure stepped up a few notches. Things are going great, and I feel great. I am traveling a little bit lighter after loosing my camera to 3 knife wielding thieves in the center of a busy market in Belen, just outside of Iquitos. I guess it is true. Belen can be a dangerous place when a gringo carries a camera bag on his shoulder. After running after the 3 guys for several blocks and yelling LADRON (pickpocket), and RATERO (thief)...they got away and nobody came to help me. It was a fun little visit to Belen, and now I don't have a camera to be stolen anymore (I feel much safer now).

.....I have been in the Iquitos area for almost 2 weeks now. The trip to Iquitos from Pucallpa was perfect. Somehow we managed to get a huge discount on our ticket (50 soles each- instead of 80), and a free 4-bed cabin on board the boat. The food was good (for boat cookin), nice staff, and not too many passengers. One night we went to shore to stay the night because the captain was afraid of night pirates who board the boat and rob all of the passengers. Also there was a 20 kilo drug bust halfway to Iquitos....someone on board decided to traffic cocaine and the police were notified and waiting at one of the port villages along the way. I love river travel here in Peru...nice views, laid back atmosphere, places on the top of the boats to chill and hang out, amazing star-filled nights, and beautiful sunsets.

.....I just got back from a 6 day Jungle adventure with 5 other friends, into the National Reserve Pacaya Samiria, in northern Peru. It was Jungle like I have have never seen...so clean, pure, re-laxing, re-freshing, and inspiring. I learned an important lesson with the help of the millions of mosquitoes. They only bother me as much as I let them bother me. There is a choice....isn't there always a choice in everything? This made me remember just how much I control my experience...how I choose to see things...how I choose to live etc..

......We Entered The Reserve from the city of Nauta, about 1.5 hrs by Taxi from Iquitos (60 soles), then a 3 hour peke-peke boat ride into the Reserve. We found a guide by asking around at the hotel in Nauta where we stayed the night, and negotiated a very good price with the help of our Peruvian friend Johnny. When and If we go the Reserve again, we plan to go two days by boat into the reserve, then hike a few days into virgin jungle to get a real feel for the place. This time we stayed along the main river and didn't see too many animals. We did see lots of Dolphins every day, and many varieties of birds.

......From Here: we plan to travel West by River to Yarmiagus then to Tarapoto where we will meet up with a few others who are on a similar path in life.

Thanks for joining me on another adventure!
Peace and Love

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Photos

NEW ART
¨the light within¨

I Miss My Little Cute Dogs!
Izulo and Princessa at home in San Francisco Peru

Most Crazy Club Ever
Club NOA in Iquitos...one crazy night!

Comments

[Jeanne]

Thank you...
Thank you for let us know that you are safe and still love painting. I beleive it is time for you to return home, after all these adventures you must be exhausted ! I am thinking of you. Sweet thoughts from France

[Mom]

What a journey!
Here it is almost a year and you're still in Peru! I know that whatever you do and wherever you go, you will be alright. Such rich experiences and enlightenment in your life since you've been there! We all miss you and hope soon we will be together again. Peace and love be with you always. Love, Mom

[mari]

we are all amazed by your rat. way cool. they found all kinds of creatures under the building this summer when they were putting in the new steel girders and the stabilizers. any plans to return? got a call from a woman in TN who knew you ten years ago and wanted me to put you in contact with her. don't have her info here. are you painting? Anything to ship to us? mari

[Pishtaco de la Basura]

de tiempo amigo
Greetings Joel, wonderful to see your photos and read your words. I have been working and learning here in the states and I will finally be able to return in June. My plans are not yet finalized, but I am looking into setting up a mini-farm using the the techniques described by John Jeavons at www.growbiointensive.org. I am looking for a few hectares to plant a 2000 sq/m farm. Are any of your neighbors selling?? How much was your plot per hectare? I hope to begin a five year project that aspires to achieve a closed loop agricultural system. 370 sq/m should be enough room to grow enough calories for one person for 365 days. We shall see...there is so much potential. I couldn't find your email so you may respond to me at [e-mail] take care. b

[Katy]

Awesome Pictures
Hey Joel! It's your cousin Katy...remember me?? :) You're pictures are awesome! (except for the giant spider!!) i sent your blog to my friend brian...he served his mission in peru and said he spent time in a lot of the same places... well it looks like you're doing well...keep taking care of yourself and keep us updated! love you!

[Rosa Kim]

wow~
Wow~~ you look really free guy.(^^) I stay in south of korea. Your story of trip is really good. I also want to leave~kkk

[Christine]

Dinner
My father (we are from Chicago) just arrived in Peru a couple of hours ago and is on his way into the jungle (2 day boat ride) to minister to about 500 people there. He just received a message that they have been out hunting in honor of his arrival and will be serving "majas". He was told it was like a big chipmunk. I grew up on the mission field with my family - I've eaten some strange stuff, but my dad - who continues to travel and minister for the past 30 years - has eaten even stranger food. But I think this tops it. He's as gracious as ever though, and will accept the meal they provide with warmth and gratitude...and possibly armed with a bottle of ketchup. I found this picture and sent it to him, telling him to "enjoy your dinner, dad!" (we all hear it's rather good though! Maybe it's just the thought of eating the "huge amazon rat" that has my stomach turning a bit...)